Winter tyres, serious size question

ajf

ajf

ajf

Soldato
Joined
30 Oct 2006
Posts
3,067
Location
Worcestershire, UK
This may seem odd but:

Is a 235/45 r18 winter tyre, in this case a Michelin Alpin, BIGGER than

a 235/45 r18 Bridgestone RE050 summer tyre?

The obvious answer to me is NO!

However in my Astra handbook it says NOT to fit winter tyres of this size.
Having emailed Vauxhall, the only answer I got was 'because they are too big'!

Am I missing something?

Andrew
 
More tread depth hence higher rolling radius.

Also, please note you live in Worcestershire and not Austria. It was 12c today and it's December tommorrow. You don't need winter tyres.
 
They're a bit wide for a winter tyre. My Fabia handbook lists winter tyres as 185/60x15 vs 205/45x16 for the standard alloy/summer tyre combination.

Winter tyres tend to have a deeper tread and the thinner width helps them cut through the snow.
 
Maybe, I can't think of any other reason except maybe they just have never been tested by Vauxhall so they say not to fit them as they cannot guarantee them?
They are barely bigger than the standard 17" wheels the car would have.
According to a couple of tyre sites the 18" fitted are 1.8% bigger than the standard wheels for my car which are 225/50 r17.

There is another paragraph that mentions three other sizes, but specific to certain engines. Maybe it is down to resistance in snow on the engine?

I know the tread is deeper but if they are marked the same size then surely they are? Wouldn't deeper tread actually make a difference in the marked tyre size for the profile?
They are a bit wide I agree ideally but I haven't the room to store an extra set of tyres so had them fitted to my existing wheels.
Admittedly as pointed out temps have typically stayed high! I put them on a few weeks back when it was looking to be getting cold, as I know several other people did.

Hindsight and all....

Andrew
P.S I should point out I was only made aware of the statement in the handbook AFTER they were fitted:rolleyes:
 
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[TW]Fox;20691633 said:
Also, please note you live in Worcestershire and not Austria. It was 12c today and it's December tommorrow. You don't need winter tyres.
Click to expand...

That's getting tad boring now. We get it, you live in Plymouth. Last year you got like half an inch of snow, for half a day. However not everyone lives in Plymouth.

Edit: Excuse the Plymouth example, last I read you lived in Plymouth but that information seems to have dissapeared now! :p
 
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I also spend rather a lot of time in Worcestershire, where the OP is, as my GF lives there. My car is quite capable of leaving Plymouth. It even made it to Scotland last December. There was even minus temperatures and piles of snow :eek:

It also hasn't snowed anywhere yet and doesnt look forecast to in the medium term either - at least not in any meaningful amount. I think its about time people realised the last few years were an anamoly not our typical climate.
 
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Last season when I lived in Suffolk it was impossible to get to work in the snow because of the roads (very rural roads and areas). In the mornings you'd drive over fresh snow which cars hadn't actually driven over previously! And due to the combination of twists, bends and inclines there were always at least 2 or 3 abandoned cars in ditches (obviously ran out of control, waiting to be salvaged). The ice that formed was bad too.

I get your point we don't live in Siberia, and winter tyres aren't mostly required. I hope you get my point that in some circumstances winter tyres are warranted in the UK.
 
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Snow tyres are a brilliant idea and i would definetly fit them if i had the cash for a new set of wheels and tyres.

In my opinion they should become mandatory between december and february.
 
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